Fractionation of cytotoxic factors produced from lymphokine-activated macrophages and lipid peroxid formation in the isolated hepatocytes by cytotoxic factors

Abstract

When peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients with chronic active hepatitis were stimulated with liver specific lipoprotein, the lymphocyte transformation and MAF production were induced in several cases. The peritoneal exudate macrophages from guinea pigs were activated by MAF-containing lymphocyte culture supernatant and cytotoxic factor acting on the isolated hepatocytes were produced in culture fluid. By a gel filtration using Sephadex G-75 column, the cytotoxic factor was fractionated as a definite component and this fraction was separated into two active fractions by a DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. These fractionated active materials exhibiting the cytotoxic effect on the isolated hepatocytes were shown to enhance the lipid peroxide formation in the isolated hepatocytes.
These results suggest that the activated macrophages produce the factors which exert their cytotoxic effects on the isolated hepatocytes and lipid peroxide formation may play some role in occurrence of hepatocyte injuries.